Housing Deliberations

for the first two weeks we stayed in a charming dormitory, Mu-ak. In Muak one places one's shoes outside of the room in the hallway, though theft is of no concern. the pillows are filled with pieces of clear plastic straws, not feathers or cotton. a tiny convenient store resides in the basement floor. the drink machines carry my favorite beverage (aside from some traditional korean concoctions) "aloe morning." a stuborn old korean man, ignorant of any english, gaurds the entrance and checks IDs, a burden i grew to love curiously enough.

We moved into the International dorm 3 days ago, however. a complex in which we planned to live in until the end of the program. We dont like it. it's not korean. people there dont speak korean, mostly english. There are cameras vieled with dark globes decorating the hallways, staircases, and lounges - big brother is watching. Students dont place there shoes outside the door because they just might get stolen - no trust. the pillows are plump with cotton. the ironically likable gaurd is replaced with a high tech finger scan and code entry. The vending machines are deprived of "aloe morning," and so too am i. there isnt a convenient store; which is needless to say, inconvenient.

Thus, all of us cohorts are considering an on-campus or near-campus living complex, "han-suk-cheep." they are cheaper, provide the basics, and most importantly, house yonsei korean students which would force us to work on korean. they offer breakfast and dinner, laundry facilities, a bathroom. it's more rustic, but more culturally sound. the only inconvinience i know of is that the location is further from my frequent destinations. the international house is willing to refund a certian amount. we need to do some monetary mathematics and diaboliacal deliberations. we'll see.